Canes beaten 3-2 by Caps in exhibition game warmup for NHL playoff qualifying round

For the first time in 141 days, the Carolina Hurricanes played a hockey game Wednesday.

They didn’t win it. The Washington Capitals took a 3-2 victory in Toronto. Nor did it count — it was an exhibition game.

But for the Canes, it’s where everyone has wanted to be since March 12, when the NHL abruptly suspended the season because of the rapid spread of the coronavirus. They were on the ice at Scotiabank Arena, skating, competing, preparing for Saturday and the start of their qualifying round against the New York Rangers.

“I think the most important thing was to get the legs going and get the feeling that you’re actually playing hockey games again in your body,” Canes center Sebastian Aho said.

Alex Ovechkin had two goals and an assist for the Caps, who also got a goal from Evgeny Kuznetsov. Goalie Braden Holtby played the first two periods, stopping 12 of 13 shots, before being relieved by Vitek Vanecek in the third.

Carolina’s goals came from center Vincent Trocheck in the first period and winger Teuvo Teravainen in the third. Teravainen scored on a 5-on-3 power play, ripping a shot from the right circle, and the Canes pressed hard in the period but could not tie the score.

“I didn’t like too much, to be honest with you,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “The third period was a little better than the start and I felt getting to more what our game should look like. I expected it to be rusty and we saw that really the first two periods. That concerns me a little but I like the fact that it looked like in the third we got our legs.

“But overall I think it’s just good to get the rust off. Hopefully the rust is off.”

Brind’Amour started goalie Petr Mrazek and then turned to James Reimer at 12:25 of the second period, giving both some work in the one exhibition game allowed in the NHL’s Return to Play format. Reimer, in particular, was sharp.

“I thought our goaltending was good,” Brind’Amour said. “We had some breakdowns and our goalies made some big saves for us. I thought ‘Reims’ coming in cold was really good. But I thought Petr was good, too. I’m happy with those guys.”

Mrazek allowed the three goals on 16 shots and had little defensive help on the three scores. Ovechkin’s goals came off a one-timer and odd-man rush, and Kuznetsov’s after a Canes turnover in the Carolina zone.

With defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forward Martin Necas held out of the game, Brind’Amour paired Jaccob Slavin with Sami Vatanen on the top defensive pairing and had rookie forward Morgan Geekie in the lineup.

“We’ve got a lot of decisions to make,” Brind’Amour said. “Obviously a couple of guys out, that makes it interesting. I’m not sure if they’re going to be back (for Saturday). But we’ll review it. We’ve got two days to put the best lineup out there possible.”

It was the first game appearance by Vatanen, the veteran defenseman acquired at the Feb. 24 trade deadline from the New Jersey Devils.

“I thought he struggled early and then I thought as the game got a little more competitive and at the end especially I thought he was a little more noticeable,” Brind’Amour said.

The Canes, trailing 3-1 after two periods, had 14 of their 27 shots in the third. More importantly for Brind’Amour they had more players around the net.

“We were a little too cute tonight and that happens,” he said. “First game back and we were too cute.”

Ovechkin’s first goal came after he first hit the post with a shot. When the Canes couldn’t clear the puck, he got another chance from the left circle and didn’t miss the second time.

Trocheck’s goal was awarded after an official review. Jake Gardiner’s shot got through Holtby, the puck stopping inches from the goal line, and Trocheck barged in to knock it in.

The Caps’ Nic Dowd, trying to prevent the score, slammed into the cage and knocked the net off its moorings. That resulted in the ruling of a good goal and a 1-1 tie.

The Canes, anything but smooth early, had trouble at times handling the puck in their own end in the first period and another turnover helped the Caps retake the lead. Kuznetsov scored off a nice pass from Ovechkin.

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